Tibor Dőry

Innovation and excellence

Management methods for innovation transformation

The impact of idea management on organisational culture

Submitted ideas are reviewed on a monthly basis by so-called "idea evaluation committees", which make recommendations on whether to proceed with them. The motivational role of managers is crucial in the operation of the system. Areas where managers encourage and actively support the formulation of development ideas see more employee suggestions than average. Some managers spend an hour or two each month discussing potential ideas with their colleagues. It is a great recognition for employees that their ideas are listened to and that the manager even helps them to develop them further. It is even greater recognition when the manager organises a meeting or consultation for employees, during which a manager from another area or a higher-ranking manager provides assistance in developing the improvement proposal. It is consultations such as these that create the dynamic culture of innovation that has made Audi Hungaria one of the world's leading engine manufacturers.

An important lesson learned by the Idea Exchange team is that employees are most active when someone shows interest in their development ideas. In many cases, the initial ideas are quite rudimentary, and the idea generators appreciate the attention and expert help they receive. It is therefore not enough to simply announce that a certain number of ideas must be submitted for a given area and that certain rewards will be given for doing so. It is much more valuable to listen attentively and guide the direction of the idea, connecting it with colleagues and managers working in other departments of the company. This is the first step, but it must be followed by real action: organising the promised meetings, listening to the refined ideas again, acknowledging progress, and then giving further encouragement and support to employees. It is also important for managers to allow employees to implement the proposed improvements, providing them with the necessary resources, such as time, other employees, materials and machine time.

The idea management system works particularly well in those areas of the company where regular developer meetings take the form of so-called idea circles, within the framework of which employees, managers and controllers meet and discuss a well-defined professional challenge or problem that has arisen. In such cases, numerous new and innovative solutions emerge, and group dynamics accelerate the development process. These circles make sense if they become part of the organisation's operations and employees do not participate merely for appearances, but regularly continue these meaningful meetings. If employees know that management is willing to devote time and energy to understanding their suggestions, they will feel more comfortable and, in an atmosphere of trust, will constantly come up with new development suggestions. This type of system meeting is a good model for smaller businesses as well, but at the very least it can be a suitable first step in developing their own innovation system.

If a department head feels that they need help with moderation, the Idea Management team is happy to provide ad hoc assistance in the form of a 2+2-hour "Idea Sprint" workshop to moderate discussions and brainstorming sessions. However, the company's goal is for individual professional managers to be able to support the brainstorming of development ideas and the development of selected ideas into projects within the framework of monthly idea circle events. Individual areas can plan separate management training courses for this in their budgets.

Tartalomjegyzék

Kiadó: Akadémiai Kiadó

Online megjelenés éve: 2026

ISBN: 978 963 664 182 5

Menedzsment

The aim of the book "Innovation and Excellence" is to inspire and encourage company leaders, managers, and experts to initiate and implement innovation transformations with the help of professional literature and corporate case studies. Another important goal is to help develop the innovation capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises in particular by sharing simple, proven management methods that can be tested in practice.

The first part of the volume reviews the factors of corporate excellence and success, then highlights the possible sources of innovation, with a focus on the role of users and employees. The empirical section presents a detailed description of the supportive role of the workplace environment and creative working conditions based on corporate case studies (AUDI, BOSCH, MELECS). The volume concludes with a description of selected tested practical methods and management techniques that readers can try out in their own businesses.

Hivatkozás: https://mersz.hu/dory-innovation-and-excellence//

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